Printing conductive elements

Abstract

In an example, an apparatus includes processing circuitry comprising a model assessment module to identify an indication of a conductive element within object model data representing an object to be printed and a print instruction module to generate print instructions to generate the object. The print instructions may include an instruction to print conductive agent to form the conductive element and an instruction to print a fusing agent comprising an instruction to reduce an amount of fusing agent to be printed in a region of the conductive element compared to at least one other region of the object.

1 . Apparatus comprising:
 processing circuitry comprising:
 a model assessment module to identify an indication of a conductive element within object model data representing an object to be printed; and 
 a print instruction module to generate print instructions to generate the object, the print instructions comprising:
 an instruction to print conductive agent to form the conductive element; and 
 an instruction to print a fusing agent comprising an instruction to reduce an amount of fusing agent to be printed in a region of the conductive element compared to at least one other region of the object. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the print instruction module is to generate print instructions to print the conductive agent in a first printing pass of a layer of build material and to print fusing agent in a second printing pass of the layer of build material, and further to generate irradiation instructions to cause heating of the layer of build material in association with each printing pass. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the print instruction module is to generate print instructions to print a fusion reducing agent in the first printing pass in a region of the object which is not a region of the conductive element. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the print instruction module is to generate instructions to perform a non-print pass after printing the conductive agent and printing the fusing agent and to generate irradiation instructions to cause heating of the layer in association with the non-print pass. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the print instruction module is to generate the print instructions to incorporate a time delay between printing passes and to generate irradiation instructions to cause irradiation of the layer in association with the time delay. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the print instruction module is to generate the print instructions for each of a plurality of layers of build material, and the conductive element lies at least in part in each of the plurality of layers. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising additive manufacturing apparatus to generate the object according to the print instructions, the additive manufacturing apparatus comprising a print agent distributor and an energy source. 
     
     
         8 . A machine readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
 determine fabrication instructions for printing an object layer comprising a conductive element in a substantially insulating composition,   the fabrication instructions being to:   control an amount of at least one fusing agent applied to a region of the layer to provide the substantially insulating composition having predetermined performance parameters and; and   control irradiation of the layer based on the amount of fusing agent to be applied.   
     
     
         9 . A machine readable medium according to  claim 8  further comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
 determine fabrication instructions to print a fusible conductive agent before printing the fusing agent, wherein the fusible conductive agent is to provide the conductive element after fusing. 
 
     
     
         10 . A machine readable medium according to  claim 8  further comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
 determine fabrication instructions to control at least one of an irradiation time and irradiation intensity of the layer to promote fusion of a build material from which the layer is formed for the amount of fusing agent applied. 
 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 forming a layer of build material;   applying a conductive agent to a first portion of the layer in a first printing pass;   applying a fusing agent in a second printing pass, wherein the fusing agent is applied with a first coverage to a second portion of the layer and the coverage is reduced in the first portion of the layer; and   irradiating the layer with energy in association with each printing pass.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the first coverages selected so as to achieve a conductivity below a threshold in a fused build material. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11  further comprising printing the second portion of the layer with a fusion reduction agent in the first printing pass. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11  comprising applying the conductive agent in a plurality of printing passes. 
     
     
         15 . A conductive element formed by the method of  claim 11 .